A Very Sleepy Update

Hello all,

What a busy week it's been! I'm back at work full time now, or as full-time as Dax's schedule lets me be, and his dance card is full. We had a cardiology appointment on Wednesday at 10 and actually got out the door and there on time. I was so proud of us! Of course, there was a scheduling snafu and we had to reschedule for tomorrow, but that was to be expected, right? We had two more appointments on Friday with a cardiologist and the pulmonology clinic at Vandy, and they went pretty smoothly. Had to stop by the lab and have some blood drawn afterwards, so we didn't get out the door until after 11. Three hours in a hospital with a baby is a long time, but Daxton did very well. The good news is, both docs were happy with Dax and do not want to see him again for a month. The cardiologist said we may soon make some med increases as Dax gets bigger, but the pulmonologist says we won't make any changes until the spring unless Dax gets sick. And, of course, we won't get his lab work back until later this week.



The cardiologist seemed genuinely surprised we'd had no emergency room visits since we discharged from the hospital. Made me very happy. Of course, me being obsessive about exposing him is probably a big reason why he has not yet been to the ER, and I just wanted to him (every so gently) over the head with his stethoscope as we sometimes have difficulty getting the doctor's office staff, including his, to let us wait in a separate waiting room away from other people. Germs are the #1 reason a preemie would have to get rehospitalized! (And of course, what are doctor's offices full of? Sick people. Ding! Ding! Ding!)



Our little monkey had three PT sessions this week, and he did really well with all of them. His PT, or "Yum-Yum" as we call her, says she sees improvements with each session. She's really good with him, and we're very glad we have her. (But we still miss you Brown Mama!)



We also got to meet with our early intervention therapist for the first time, but she won't start working with us until this week. We made our goals up for early intervention to work on, and they were able to locate a speech therapy company to do in home speech/swallowing therapy for us. Yay! Hopefully we'll get that assessment completed in a week or so.



I have to add here how much we appreciate our private duty nurse. When I say we don't know what we'd do without her, I mean that literally. She's been amazing for us! She gave Dax his Synagis shot this week and he was true to typical form... He cried for about 5 seconds or so, then life goes on... The nurse, however, pouted the rest of the day!


We do still miss all our "aunts" and "uncles" at the hospital, though. You guys mean the world to us!

Daxton started getting some pretty significant nosebleeds this week, apparently due to all the dry air blowing up his nose from his cannula coupled with the dry air in our house caused by gas heat. We tried a humidifier for a few days but didn't really have much luck, but luckily found out the oxygen company has a humidifier that can be put directly on the O2 concentrator to humidify the air as it blows in Dax's nose. Worked like a charm. Yay! He's breathing better, is much happier, and is no longer bleeding!

I have to add here that I STARTED Christmas shopping today. Yay for me! Surely I'll be able to catch some last minute deals?



As far as everything else, Shep and I are e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d! We both take a night to get up with Dax, and then a night to sleep, but neither one of us had had a good night's sleep and we're cranky! Couple that with my pregnancy hormones... Let's just say it ain't pretty!



And as far as the pregnancy goes, I'm doing well but I got enormous overnight. I'm not even 2 months yet, but look more like 3-4 months. I had a lady ask me the other day if I was really pregnant or if it might be a thyroid problem. Write that down as one of those things you don't say to a pregnant woman!



Oh, and I have a funny I think you other mommies will understand... Shep was holding Dax today and feeding him, when he started making his poopie face. (That would be Dax, not Shep...) All of a sudden you hear this shwwwwwwwwp POW and I swear to you Shep jumped halfway across the room. Apparently he'd never experienced the intensity of a baby's power poop on his leg before. It was the highlight of my day!

So, again, I've been out of the loop a bit as far as our friends, but have heard that Baby Rosemary is hanging in there and is about to move to a big girl crib! Yay! She still has a blood clot in her arm, so please pray that resolves. Baby Kinsley is doing fantastic and is as feisty as ever. Baby McKenzye is doing great at home, and Baby Landon has finally made it back home after his bout with whooping cough. Please pray for his continued well-being and no more illnesses this winter! Baby Drayke continues to hang in there. Please continue to pray for him and his family. Baby Payton got her first trials off of the ventilator but hasn't been able to stay off it yet. Please pray for strong lungs for her!



Please also say a special prayer for my cousin Elena and her husband Chris, as they are currently experiencing the loss of their unborn child. We love you both, and are so sorry!



Well, Dax is asleep now and I am not, but I should be. This is my night to get up with him... Which is a good thing I guess, as I'll burn off some of the hormone food I ate today!



Love you all! Thanks again for all the continued prayers and support!

Now off to bed......